Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention is related generally to agricultural implements and more specifically to an improved apparatus for transferring particulate material from a principal storage site to individual material metering hoppers mounted on planters or the like.
In the past, distribution of seed (or other particulate material such as fertilizer) for use in a variety of agricultural operations has been facilitated via a planter apparatus including a wheel supported carrier frame having a hitch for linking to a tractor or other prime mover, an implement bar mounted to the frame perpendicular to the transport direction and a plurality of row units mounted to and essentially equispaced along the length of the implement bar. Among other components, each row unit typically includes some type of seed bin that opens downwardly into a metering device and some type of soil agitator (e.g., a coulter or knife member) juxtaposed on the transport side (i.e., in the direction of prime mover movement) of the dispenser. During transport through a field the agitator is forced through soil there below and forms a seed trench. As its label implies, the metering device dispenses a pre-selected quantity of seed downward and behind the agitator into the trench.
The individual seed bins generally have limited storage capacity. For instance, many row unit seed bins are limited to between one and three bushel volumes. For this reason, these types of planter assemblies required frequent bin refilling. Unfortunately, seed filling stations (e.g., typically a barn or other storage unit) are typically stationary and therefore filling exercises often required a trip out of the fields back to a station and then a trip back to the fields to continue the seeding process. These filling trips increased the overall time required to plant fields. In addition to the round trip time required to refill bins, the refilling process itself was tedious as each separate row unit bin had to be filled during each filling exercise.
In an effort to reduce the number of seed refilling exercises required to seed a field, the industry has developed systems including one or more large seed reservoir hoppers mounted to the carrier frame that are transported along with the row units. A seed distribution system in which seed is conveyed from an equipment mounted main hopper is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,473 (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe ""473 patentxe2x80x9d) which issued on Nov. 10, 1992 and which is assigned to Deere and Company. The ""473 patent utilizes a single main hopper which dispenses seed to a plurality of individual mini-hoppers. Each mini-hopper forms an outlet opening at a bottom end which is linked to and supplies seed to an individual row unit. The seed is fed from the main hopper into each mini-hopper by entraining the seed in an air stream contained in separate, individual seed transfer hoses that are connected between the main tank and each of the individual mini-hoppers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,706 (hereinafter xe2x80x9cthe ""706 patentxe2x80x9d) which issued on Jan. 10, 1995 and is assigned to Agco Corporation, describes another seed transporting system which also utilizes a central storage hopper for supplying a plurality of smaller satellite hoppers via a plurality of individual hoses or tubes running from the central hopper to each of the individual row units.
Most seed delivery assemblies that include a main and several mini-hoppers rely on assembly configuration to regulate seed delivery to the mini-hoppers. To this end, when seed accumulates in a mini-hopper, eventually the seed blocks the delivery duct outlet and hence seed and air flow there through. Eventually the metering device distributes seed from the mini-hopper, the duct outlet becomes unblocked and seed transport to the mini-hopper begins again.
One important requirement of any seed delivery assembly that includes a central or main hopper and a plurality of mini-hoppers is that the system be designed so that at least a minimum volume of seed is present in each mini-hopper at all times. Hereinafter the required seed volume will be referred to as a xe2x80x9crequired volumexe2x80x9d. Where less than the required volume occurs in a mini-hopper, it is possible that the row unit corresponding to the mini-hopper may empty the mini-hopper prior to delivery of additional seed to the mini-hopper. Where a mini-hopper is emptied, planting by the corresponding row unit is discontinuous and total field yield is reduced.
One problem with pneumatic seed delivery systems has been that seeds deposited within the mini-hoppers impede and eventually essentially block air flow (and hence seed delivery) to the mini-hoppers prior to the required volume accumulating in the mini-hoppers. For instance, in some cases it has been observed that even a few layers of seed accumulated at the bottom opening of a mini-hopper will essentially block air flow there through. In these cases, as indicated above, planting is discontinuous.
One other problem with pneumatic seed delivery systems that blow seed to mini-hoppers has been that the duct outlet that feeds seed to the mini-hoppers is typically directly above a corresponding metering device and therefore forced air and entrained seed blown into the mini-hopper, in some cases, may adversely affect operation of;the metering devices.
Therefore, a need exists for a mini-hopper that maintains a seed volume that is at least as great as the required volume and which blocks the air-seed stream from being directed at the metering devices.
It has been recognized that a vent can be placed in each of the mini-hoppers that, if placed correctly, will result in at least the required volume of seed within each mini-hopper at all times. Generally, the vent is provided at least in part proximate a top end of the mini-hopper so that as seed blown into the mini-hopper accumulates near the bottom of the mini-hopper under the force of gravity, the vent remains unobstructed and additional seed can be delivered to the mini-hopper. Eventually the vent becomes blocked at which time air and seed flow to the mini-hopper is essentially blocked until the metering device disperses some of the seed from the underside of the mini-hopper. Again, when the vent becomes partially unblocked, seed delivery recommences. By placing the vent vertically high enough within the mini-hopper the required volume is essentially guaranteed.
In addition, by designing the mini-hopper so that the seed accumulates and forms a seed head corresponding to the required volume between the duct outlet and the metering device, the seed head blocks direct air and seed flow to the metering device and hence blocks the flow from adversely affecting metering device operation.
Consistent with the above discussion, the present invention includes an apparatus for use with a pneumatic particulate transport assembly, the assembly including a transport duct having a duct outlet and a particulate metering device having a meter inlet, the apparatus for receiving particulate from the transport duct and temporarily storing the particulate for use by the metering device where the particulate is characterized by a particulate size, the apparatus comprising a housing including walls that form a cavity, a hopper inlet linkable to the duct outlet and a hopper outlet linkable to the metering device inlet, at least one of the housing walls forming vent apertures that are generally smaller than the particulate size.
In at least some embodiments the housing forms the housing inlet in a top wall and the housing forms a downwardly opening housing outlet. More specifically, the housing may include a generally vertical side wall that traverses the distance between the top wall and the housing outlet and the side wall may form the vent apertures. Even more specifically, the side wall may form the vent apertures proximate the top wall.
In some embodiments the side wall may form the vent apertures throughout the side walls entire area between the top and bottom walls. Here, the apparatus may further include a cover member mounted to the housing, the cover member extending to a side of the side wall opposite the cavity, including a cover wall that is spaced apart from the side wall, substantially enclosing the side wall and forming at least one exhaust outlet.
In some embodiments the exhaust outlet opens proximate the housing outlet and it may open downward. In some embodiments the cover wall is substantially parallel to the side wall.
The housing may form a vent opening and the side wall may comprise a screen member received within the vent opening. The screen member may be removable from the vent opening. Here, the housing may form a slot for receiving the screen member within the vent opening. More specifically, the screen member may be characterized by a screen thickness dimension, the housing may include first and second facing lateral walls on opposite sides of the vent opening and the slot may include first and second facing parallel rib member pairs on the first and second walls, respectively, the first and second pairs defining the vent opening there between where each pair defines a dimension there between that is similar to the screen thickness dimension.
Some embodiments further include a cover member mounted to the housing, the cover member extending to a side of the rib member pairs opposite the cavity, including a cover wall that is spaced apart from the rib member pairs, substantially enclosing the rib member pairs and forming at least one exhaust outlet.
The invention also includes an apparatus for use with a pneumatic particulate transport assembly, the assembly including a transport duct having a duct outlet and a particulate metering device having a meter inlet, the apparatus for receiving particulate from the transport duct and temporarily storing the particulate for use by the metering device where the particulate is characterized by a particulate size, the apparatus comprising a housing including at least one side wall that defines a cavity, the housing forming a housing inlet proximate a top end of the housing and a housing outlet proximate a bottom end of the housing, the housing including at least one vent wall forming a plurality of vent apertures proximate the top end of the housing where the vent apertures are generally smaller than the particulate size and a cover member mounted to the housing, the cover member extending to a side of the vent wall opposite the cavity, including a cover wall that is spaced apart from the vent wall, substantially enclosing the vent wall and forming at least one exhaust outlet.
Moreover, the invention includes an assembly for pneumatically transporting particulate from a main hopper to a metering device where the main hopper includes a particulate outlet and the metering device includes a meter inlet, the assembly comprising an air source operably linked to the hopper outlet to entrain particulate at the hopper outlet in an air stream, a transport duct having a duct inlet and a duct outlet, the duct inlet operably linked down stream of the hopper outlet to receive the particulate entrained air stream from the source and a housing including walls that form a cavity, a hopper inlet linked to the duct outlet and a hopper outlet linked to the metering device inlet, at least one of the housing walls forming a vent configured to trap particulate while allowing air to pass there through.